Nevada Northern Railway
Durango & Silverton Railroad
Cumbres & Toltec Railroad
Year - 2025
This Tour Is Open -
Tour Type - Photographers Railfan Tour
option 1
$2,825 - All 6 charter trains October 19-26:
Nevada Northern-Durango & Silverton
Cumbres & Toltec
note - Does not include highway
transportation and lodging
$900 - Deposit To Hold Space
option 2
$TBA - All 6 charter trains October 18-27:
Nevada Northern-Durango & Silverton
Cumbres & Toltec
note - Includes highway transportation
and lodging. Reno to Denver or
start in Reno & return to Reno
option 3
$895 - Two day charter on
the Nevada Northern October 19-20.
note - does not Includes highway
transportation and lodging.
$400 - Deposit To Hold Space
option 4
$1095 - Two day charter on
the Durango & Silverton October 22-23.
note - Does not include highway
transportation and lodging
$400 - Deposit To Hold Space
option 5
$1,925 - Four days of charters on
the Durango & Silverton and
Cumbres & Toltec
October 22-23 & October 26-27.
note - Does not include highway
transportation and lodging
except for a charter bus on
October 26 Antonito back to Chama and
return to Antonito on October 27.
$600 - Deposit To Hold Space
option 6
$1,950 - Four days of charters on the
Nevada Northern and
Durango & Silverton
October 19-20 and October 22-23.
note - Does not include highway
transportation and lodging
$600 - Deposit To Hold Space
Final Payment Due By - jun 15, 2025
Step Back In Time To Classic Steam Railroading
In
Nevada, Colorado & New Mexico.
Nevada Northern Railway Photo Ore Train
Nevada Norther Railway Photo Freight Train
Photo Freight On The Durango & Silverton.
Photo By Don Atkinson
Charter Photo Train On The Durango & Silverton Railroad At The High Line
Above The Animas River.
Photo By Don Atkinson
We invite you to join us for a grand 9 day Steam Spectacular event which will involve the operation of 5 steam locomotives, 8 different train consists on 3 railroads in Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico.
Our grand steam spectacular inclues steam charters on the Nevada Northern, Durango & Silverton and Cumbres & Toltec Railroads. All locomotives and train consists will be letters for their original railroads, be it Nevaa Northern or Rio Grande.
On the Nevada Northern we will have 4 different train consists with steam locomotives Nos. 81 and 93 and operate on the Hiline and Keystone Lines. On the Durango & Silverton we are planning on 4 or 5 freight cars with lettering in both Rio Grande and Denver & Rio Grande Western, one passenger car and 1 concession car both lettered DRGW then bringing up the rear will be a caboose also lettered DRGW. Our train will operate Durango to Silverton on October 22 and return October 23.
On the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad operated by Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec their charter train will operate Chama, New Mexico to Antonito, Colorado on October and return to Chama on October 26 and return the next day. The Friends are planning on busing passengers back to Chama for lodging on October 26 and the next day return to Antonito to board the train. They will use two steam locomotives both lettered Rio Grande and a freight train consist with all DRGW lettered equipment. Their plan calls for this charter to have about 20 freight cars. At the rear of the train there will be several of the converted freight cars that now have seats for passengers. These cars will blend in with the rest of the freight train. Bringing up the rear will be one or two cabooses. Both days will feature many photo run-bys as time permits as the crew is not allowed to work over 12 hours.
You have the option to book on all three events, two events or just one event. We are also offering transportation from Reno, Nevada to East Ely then on to Durango, Colorado before going to Chama, New Mexico and finally either endng your adventure in Denver, Colorado or return to Reno, Nevada.
As an added plus the Durango & Silverton is planning to operate their own set of photo charters on October 24-25 and you might enjoy doing some linesiding photography. So you have several options to fully enjoy our Fall Colors Steam Spectacular.
Photo Run-By At The Cascade Trestle With A Mid Train Helper
Photo By Don Atkinson
If you choose our highway transportation option we will depart in the morning from Reno, Nevada and make a stop in Virginia City to photograph the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. We then continue east across Nevada to East Ely and hotel check-in. If time permits upon our arrival in East Ely we will go down to the depot and workshops to check-out what is happening.
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We will run our steam charter trains on the Keystone line and the Hiline towards the old smelter site. We will have two different train consists today and we will use the railroads new Doodlebug railcar to run ahead of our steam charter with the group onboard. Each photo location will feature the Doodlebug and the steam train. Plenty of photo run-bys all day. We will also feature photo sessions at the workshops with the three classic diesels which will be the EMD SD-9, Alco RS-2 and Baldwin VO-1000
🍽 breakfast,
Nevada Northern's New Doodlebug Railcar. On The First
Day We Will Ride In This Railcar Ahead Of Our Steam Charter
Another full day of steam charter trains on the Nevada Northern Railway with plenty of photo run-bys with different consists running up the Hiline and Keystone lines.
🍽 breakfast
Today we travel from East Ely, Nevada to Durango, Colorado onboard our charter motorcoach. Upon arrival in Durango hotel check-in.
🍽 breakfast
Our charter photo mixed train will depart at 7:30am and run up to the Animas River High Bridge just north of the High Line for our first set of photo run-bys. Our special train consist will be 4 to 5 freight cars, one passenger coach, one concession car and a caboose. The concession car will have sandwiches, chips, snacks and drinks available to purchase. We will be running 90 minutes ahead of the regular scheduled Silverton train. We will stage several photo run-bys at the High Bridge and the curve on the High Line before backing up to get in the clear at the Rockwood siding for the northbound regular train. We will then come back out on the mainline and head north into the rugged Cascade Canyon following the Animas River in the San Juan Mountains. We will continue to stage photo run-bys in the canyon as we progress north towards Silverton. Our train will cross the Animas River five times before reaching Silverton with mountain peaks reaching 14,000 feet all around us. In the afternoon we will again take to the siding deep in the Cascade Canyon to meet the southbound Silverton train. We finally reach the wild west mining town of Silverton around 6:00pm. There are several hotels and motels in Silverton that are a short walk from where we will unload our train.
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the 7 photos below were taken of the regular silverton train in october. These photos give you a good sample of the spectacular scenery
This morning we will reboard our waiting train at 8:00am which will be sitting in the middle of the street near downtown Silverton and still facing north. We will first back down to the classic old Silverton Station which is less than a ½ mile away. Everyone will unload in front of the station for a couple of photo run-bys. Then we all board our train and back up for a couple of miles to the Animas River Bridge for another photo run-by of our train on this bridge while facing northbound. After this photo run-by our train will continue for a mile to the Silverton Wye Track so that our train can turn around and face southbound. Then another photo run-by will be made on the same bridge but now our train is facing south. After this run-by we load up and continue southbound into the rugged Cascade Canyon for the next series of run-bys. Deep in the Cascade Canyon we will again go into the siding to meet the northbound regular Silverton train. As we make our way southbound along the Animas River we will stage some more run-bys including on the High Bridge over the Animas River. Finally we will stage a couple run-bys on the High Line with the river hundreds of feet below. At the Rockwood Station we again go into the siding to allow the Silverton train to run around us. We will then stage one more photo run-by near Rockwood before continuing on into Durango arriving around 6:30pm.
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A Special Photographers Mixed Train On The Durang & Silverton railroad
Near The Rockwood Station.
Photo By Don Atkinson
Photo Run-By On The Durango And Silverton.
Photo By Don Atkinson
Another Spectacular Photo Run-By On The Durango And Silverton
Deep In The Cascade Canyon.
Photo By Don Atkinson
Both of these days are free for you to railfan trackside on the Durango & Silverton and the Cumbres & Toltec Railroads. If you like you could spend October 24 trackside on the Durango & Silverton and October 25 trackside on the Cumbres & Toltec. Both railroads will be running trains on both dates.
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Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec charter train departs Chama, New Mexico doubleheaded with two 2-8-2 K-36 steam locomotives and about 20 freight cars, several converted box cars with seasts for passengers and a caboose. Once the train climbs the steep 4% grade to Cumbres Pass at 10,015 feet the helper locomotive will be cut off and run lite to Antonito ahead of the train. As the Friends charter train continues towards Antonito and through the rugged Toltec Gorge plenty of photo run-bys will be made. Arrival in Antonito is scheduled just prior to sunset. Upon arrival in Antonito passengers will load up on a couple Cumbres & Toltec buses which will bring everyone back to Chama for lodging.
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Cumbres & Toltec Photo Run-By Near Los Pinos
Photo By Don Atkinson
Water Stop And Photo Run-By At The Los Pinos Water Tank
On The Cumbres And Toltec Railroad.
Photo Don Atkinson
Passengers will re-load in a couple of the railroad's buses and return by highway to Antonito, Colorado where they will board the Friends waiting train for the return journey to Chama, New Mexico. This morning this charter train will have one 2-8-2 K-36 on the head end and the 2nd K-36 cut into the middle of the train. This is the way the Rio Grande used to run long and heavy freight trains over Cumbres Pass. Plenty of photo run-bys will be made between Antonito and Cumbres Pass. When the train arrives at the Cumbres Pass Station the mid-train helper will be set out and then run as a light engine down the San Juan Range to Chama. The charter freight train will then follow down the mountain to Chama. And so ends a spectacular 6 days of narrow gauge steam operations on both railroads.
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Another Spectacular Photo Run-By On The Cumbres & Toltec Near Cumbres Pass.
Photo By Don Atkinson
The 9 photos below were taken of the regular cumbres & toltec train and other charters. These photos give you a good sample of the spectacular scenery between cumbres and antonito.
Today we travel on our charter motorcoach to Denver. If you want to return to Reno, Nevada then we will provide a van and we will spend the night in Durango, Colorado.
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Continue today from Durango, Colorado to Reno, Nevada in the van. Upon arrival in Reno end of the tour.
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TOUR CONDITIONS PRICING - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
Tour Pricing:
All tour prices are subject to change without notice, at any time. All prices based on double room occupancy. Those people that use a credit card for payments a 4% conveyance fee will be added to the tour price. We reserve the right to change tour prices if necessary without prior notice.
